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Arizona Cardinals sign deaf fullback Derrick Coleman

Cardinals Patrick Peterson takes a picture with Cannon Cabral on his birthday during the Hyundai Youth Football Camp at Arizona Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz. on July 2, 2018.
Patrick Breen/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Cardinals Patrick Peterson takes a picture with Cannon Cabral on his birthday during the Hyundai Youth Football Camp at Arizona Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz. on July 2, 2018.
Patrick Breen/The Republic

Children take pictures with Cardinals Patrick Peterson during the Hyundai Youth Football Camp at Arizona Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz. on July 2, 2018.
Patrick Breen/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals Robert Nkemdiche (90) during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals Robert Nkemdiche (90) during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks huddles with his players during voluntary Organized Team Activities on June 5, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford hands the ball to running back David Johnson during voluntary Organized Team Activities on May 23, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford hands the ball to running back David Johnson during voluntary Organized Team Activities on May 23, 2018 at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, Ariz.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Cardinals scout and former player Adrian Wilson (left) and Cardinals general manager Steve Keim look on during the Cardinals Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Cardinals scout and former player Adrian Wilson (left) and Cardinals general manager Steve Keim look on during the Cardinals Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Cardinals quarterback Mike Glennon (7) during a Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Cardinals quarterback Mike Glennon (7) during a Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy (left) and head coach Steve Wilks during a Cardinals Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy (left) and head coach Steve Wilks during a Cardinals Spring practice at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 19, 2018.
David Wallace/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim talks about the upcoming NFL draft during a press conference at the team training facility in Tempe, Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, left, and head coach Steve Wilks talk about the upcoming NFL draft during a press conference at the team training facility in Tempe, Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, left, and head coach Steve Wilks talk about the upcoming NFL draft during a press conference at the team training facility in Tempe, Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks talks about the upcoming NFL draft during a press conference at the team training facility in Tempe, Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Mike Glennon works out at the Tempe training facility, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, during the offseason strength and conditioning program.
Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson throws a heavy ball over his head at the Tempe training facility, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, during the offseason strength and conditioning program.
Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

Photos: Arizona Cardinals offseason – 2018

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson throws a heavy ball over his head at the Tempe training facility, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, during the offseason strength and conditioning program.
Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

Arizona Cardinals run sprints at the Tempe training facility, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, during the offseason strength and conditioning program.
Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

No one is sure what the Cardinals' offense will look like under new coordinator Mike McCoy, but it apparently will include the use of a fullback occasionally.

The team has signed fullback Derrick Coleman to a one-year contract.

Coleman’s signing is notable because the Cardinals didn’t use a traditional fullback under former coach Bruce Arians.

Coleman, regarded as a good special teams player, spent last season with the Falcons. He was with the Seahawks from 2012-15.

Coleman has played in 47 NFL games, including 30 over his past two seasons. He touched the ball from scrimmage only 25 times in his career, including 13 receptions that included two touchdowns.

He didn’t play in 2016, a year after he was charged with vehicular assault and hit-and-run in connection with a car crash the year before while with the Seahawks. Coleman said at the time he had smoked “spice,” a synthetic with effects similar to marijuana. Coleman eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Coleman, who lost most of his hearing at age 3, is the first legally deaf offensive player in NFL history. His autobiography, “No Excuses,” was published in the summer of 2015.

Roster moves

The Cardinals' 2016 draft class, already regarded as the weakest in the five-year tenure of General Manager Steve Keim, took another hit on Wednesday. The team announced it had released safety Harlan Miller, the sixth-round pick that year, and defensive tackle Peli Anau, who was on the practice squad last season.

Miller is the third of six members of the draft class to be released. In addition, defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (first-round) has failed to win a starting job, and cornerback Brandon Williams (third round) and center/guard Evan Boehm (fourth) were benched after opening their rookie seasons as starters.